Following possible outbreak of ebola virus in Nigeria, plans are underway to intensified nationwide surveillance and emergency preparedness measures against the virus.
The concern was raised following the growing outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Saturday.
Speaking about the possible outbreak, in a statement issued by the Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, on Sunday, the agency said Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case linked to the ongoing regional outbreak but warned that the risk of importation remains high because of international travel, population movement and the scale of transmission in affected East African countries.
The agency said its latest risk assessment identified border communities, major transport hubs and international points of entry as high-risk areas requiring enhanced monitoring.
“This assessment estimated the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as high due to the ongoing transmission in the DRC and Uganda, international travel and population movement, uncertainty regarding the full magnitude of the outbreak, and the potential for delayed recognition because symptoms may overlap with endemic diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever,” the advisory stated.
The NCDC said the National Emergency Operations Centre has been placed on alert mode, while the National Incident Management System has been activated with clear reporting and escalation pathways to coordinate response activities nationwide.
According to the agency, epidemiologists and Rapid Response Teams have also been placed on standby for possible deployment to any state if required.
The agency further stated that surveillance and epidemic intelligence activities have been intensified across the country, including enhanced monitoring of unusual public health events, rumours and alerts to ensure early detection of suspected cases.
“Enhanced surveillance activities are also ongoing at points of entry and border communities,” it added.
As part of infection prevention efforts, the NCDC said Ebola preparedness tools and checklists have been distributed to healthcare facilities nationwide, while refresher trainings are ongoing for health workers on triage systems, infection prevention protocols and early identification of suspected viral haemorrhagic fever cases.
The agency advised states to designate isolation and treatment centres, assess bed capacity, improve logistics systems and ensure availability of emergency medical supplies.
Ebola Virus Disease is a severe and often fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids, secretions or contaminated materials.
Symptoms include fever, weakness, headache and muscle pain. Health experts say the disease does not spread through the air.
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